- Brief description
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Fans of castles will quite like this part of the trail. Through the Wißmarbachtal you will get up into the forest, after which the route takes you to the stage’s final destination in Lollar.
- Difficulty
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medium
- Rating
-
- Starting point
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Center of Rodheim-Bieber
- Route
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Evangelische Kirche Rodheim0.0 kmRodheim-Bieber0.2 kmBiebertal (226 m)0.3 kmVetzberg (322 m)1.8 kmKrofdorf-Gleiberg4.0 kmGleiberg (308 m)4.9 kmLaunsbach7.5 kmRuttershausen19.8 kmLollar21.2 km
- Best season
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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Description
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We will start at the church in Rodheim-Bieber. Right at the beginning of this stage, people who could imagine themselves as ladies and lords of the castle will enjoy the detour to the castle ruins of Vetzberg and Gleiberg. According to an old legend, there is a secret passage between the two castles - but it is not marked with the Lahnwanderweg trail sign! Make sure to climb the towers of the castles Vetzberg and Gleiberg since both of them offer breathtaking panoramic views. Afterwards you will hike through the idyllic Wißmarbachtal before walking up into the forest. There, we will leave the Lahnwanderweg trail and stroll down to the stage finish in Lollar.
Alternative starting point in Gießen:
The Giessen access route to the Lahnwanderweg trail leads 7.2 km across the Lahn floodplains to the Lahnwanderweg trail in Krofdorf-Gleiberg. From there, it is another 15.6 km along the Lahnwanderweg to Lollar, where LAWA stage 8 joins to the north.
Alternative destination for stage 9
Alternatively, you can also finish the stage in Giessen via the Giessen access route to the Lahnwanderweg, giving you a total distance of 12.3 kilometres.
*** Current note: Due to renovation works the tower of the castle ruin Vetzberg is not climbable at the moment! ***
- Directions
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Starting from the center of Rodheim-Bieber), you need to stay on the Lahnwanderweg trail markings past the church of Rodheim-Bieber. Continue across the fields. At "Alter Garten", we will cross the former border between Hessen-Darmstadt and Preußen. This is also where the imposing mountaintop with the ruins of Vetzberg castle is situated. Making a detour to the castle is highly recommended since the lookout tower offers a wonderful view of the rest of the route. Through the wide valley you will reach Krofdorf-Gleiberg where you can start climbing up to the castle ruins.
The castle consists of the upper castle and the lower castle (refreshment stop) where many of the old details have been restored. Being on the main tower (keep) of the upper castle, which is approximately 30 m high, you can enjoy a beautiful view over the Gießen basin along the river Lahn to the Vogelsberg, the Westerwald and the Taunus. The Vetzberg castle that you have just been on can be seen again as well. Over fields and through the forest, the trail will guide you to Launsbach where another beautiful viewpoint with an information board is waiting.
The next highlight is the wild and romantic nature reserve Wißmarbachtal that is home to numerous rare plants. Through a reforestation area we will walk up into the mixed forest where the hiking trail is being left. Following the yellow Lahnwanderweg trail signs, you will walk to the stage destination in Lollar on comfortable ways. The small town offers historic houses and monuments such as the industrial castle "Villa Buderus" that was built in 1880. There are plenty of places to stay overnight and stop for refreshments.
- Highest point
- 323 m
- Endpoint
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Center of Lollar
- Height profile
- © outdooractive.com
- Equipment
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Ordinary hiking equipment required. Take backpack vespers and drinks with you.
- Safety instructions
- Tips
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Castle Gleiberg and Castle Vetzberg offer refreshment stops.
The Gail'sche Park in Rodheim-Bieber is also worth a visit.
- Additional information
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Lahnwanderweg
Collecting memories with the hiking pass
The free pocket guide "Lahnwanderweg" and further information are available at www.daslahntal.de and from
Lahntal Tourismus Verband e. V.
Brückenstraße 2, 35576 Wetzlar
Tel. 06441-30998-0
Landkreis Gießen - Stabsstelle Wirtschaftsförderung/Tourismus
Riversplatz 1-19, 35394 Gießen
Tel. 02752/8 98
- Arrival
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To Rodheim-Bieber via A480, L3047 and L3286
To Lollar via B3
- Public transportation
- Parking
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Parking spaces are available in both townships where stages start or end
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AuthorThe tour Lahnwanderweg stage 09 upstream Rodheim-Bieber - Lollar is used by outdooractive.com provided.
General info
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Lahntal / Hessen
461
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Gleiberger Land
185
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Lollar
40